Gulfstream Aircraft Featured in Book “The Devil Dragon Pilot” Continues Record Streak

Gulfstream Aerospace announced yesterday that their Gulfstream G650ER claimed two more city-pair records. This is also the main business jet featured in the book “The Devil Dragon Pilot” and features both the aircraft and their talented Savannah, Georgia workforce.

G650ER Continues Record Streak (photo-Gulfstream)

From Gulfstream: “The G650ER took off from Ohio’s John Glenn Columbus International Airport and landed at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport 14 hours and 35 minutes later, covering 6,750 nautical miles/12,501 kilometers at an average cruise speed of Mach 0.85. These are similar speeds to the ones Captain Ford Stevens had!

Following that flight, the aircraft flew 6,143 nm/11,377 km from Taipei Taoyuan International Airport to Arizona’s Scottsdale Airport, cruising at Mach 0.90 the entire trip. The total flight time was just 10 hours and 57 minutes.

“The G650ER is the only business jet that could make the demanding trip from Columbus to Shanghai nonstop,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales, Gulfstream. “When you talk to customers, what many of them need is more time. These records demonstrate the G650ER’s ability to give our customers just that. We know time is precious, and opportunities are best met when customers arrive quickly and refreshed.”

Pending approval by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association, the records will be sent to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in Switzerland for recognition as world records.

The G650ER and its sister ship, the G650, hold more than 60 records combined. In January 2015, the G650ER completed the farthest flight in its history. The aircraft traveled 8,010 nm/14,835 km nonstop from Singapore to Las Vegas in just over 14 hours.

The G650ER can travel 7,500 nm/13,890 km at Mach 0.85, while the G650 can travel 7,000 nm/12,964 km at Mach 0.85. Both have a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925.

The aircraft feature the largest purpose-built business-jet cabin, with a number of amenities to make life on board comfortable and more productive, including wider seats, the largest windows, the quietest cabin sound levels, the lowest cabin altitude and 100 percent fresh air.”